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Haunted Honeymoon is a 1986 comedy movie starring Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise, and Jonathan Pryce. Wilder also served as the film's writer and director. The film also marked Radner's final appearance prior to her death of ovarian cancer in 1989.
(The title Haunted Honeymoon was previously used for the 1940 U.S. release of Busman's Honeymoon based on the stageplay by Dorothy L. Sayers.)
Larry Abbot (Wilder) and Vickie Pearle (Radner) are performers on radio's "Manhattan Mystery Theater" who decide to get married. Larry has been plagued with on-air panic attacks and speech impediments since proposing marriage. Vickie thinks it's just pre-wedding jitters, but his affliction could get them both fired.
Larry's uncle, Dr. Paul Abbot, decides that Larry needs to be cured. Paul decides to treat him with a form of shock therapy to "scare him to death" in much the same way someone might try to startle someone out of hiccups.
Larry chooses a castle-like mansion in which he grew up as the site for their wedding. Vickie gets to meet Larry's eccentric family: great-aunt Kate (DeLuise), who plans to leave all her money to Larry; his uncle, Francis; and Larry's cousins, Charles, Nora, Susan, and the cross-dressing Francis Jr. Also present are the butler Pfister and wife Rachel, the maid; Larry's old girlfriend Sylvia, who is now dating Charles; and Susan's magician husband, Montego the Magnificent.
Paul begins his "treatment" of Larry and lets others in on the plan. Unfortunately for all, something more sinister and unexpected is lurking at the Abbot Estates mansion. The pre-wedding party becomes a real-life version of Larry and Vickie's radio murder mysteries, werewolves and all.
The movie was one of 14 films financed by Orion Pictures through a deal with HBO.[2]
The film was shot in London in September 1985.[3] "Gene calls it a 'comedy chiller'," said Gilda Radner, who added that "this is a part very similar to my own. I wear a wedding gown in 95% of the movie. Since I didn't wear a gown when Gene and I got married, I asked the Haunted Honeymoon photographer to make me a wedding album."[4]
Reception
The film received negative reviews.[5][6] It holds a 25% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Dom DeLuise won the Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress for his performance in drag.
Box office
The movie was a financial flop, grossing only $8,000,000 in America, entering the box office at number 8, then slipping to 14 the following week. While Gilda Radner was struggling with cancer, she wrote the following about the film: "On July 26 [1986], Haunted Honeymoon opened nationwide. It was a bomb. One month of publicity and the movie was only in the theaters for a week – a box-office disaster."[7]
^Time Unit Extends Pact With Orion For Movie Rights
By LAURA LANDRO Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. Wall Street Journal (1923 - Current file) [New York, N.Y] 26 Feb 1985: 45.
^Sneed, Lavin & O'Malley INC.: Not exactly like a virgin... Chicago Tribune (1963-Current file) [Chicago, Ill] 09 July 1985: 16
^YEARNS FOR MOTHERHOOD: GILDA RADNER IN LIFE-CAREER SQUEEZE Mills, Nancy. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 23 July 1986: I7.
